A Happy Ending
by Jkilmer
Summary: A pregnant Snow White was able to go through the wardrobe and arrive in our world before the curse and she remembers everything. She quickly learns, however, that her truth is all fantasy in our world and to tell no more tales of the Evil Queen or the Enchanted Forest. Pregnant and alone in a strange world, Snow struggles to forge a some semblance of a happy ending for herself.
1. Chapter 1

She didn't understand how something made from such a large, magical tree could fit so few people. Snow White paced the floor in front of the wardrobe, her nightgown trailing lightly across the golden tile. She ought to be sleeping, she knew, though it wasn't as if she hadn't tried. She'd laid next to Charming for hours listening to the gentle sound of his breathing. The noise usually lulled her to sleep, but that night it only served to keep her awake. How could she sleep when, after tomorrow, she couldn't be sure that she would ever lie beside him again? Never hear him breathe or speak another word or feel the warmth of his skin on hers or be on the receiving end of his smile? How could she bear to sleep when she would be leaving her entire life and everyone in it in a matter of hours and traveling to a land completely foreign to her? She placed a hand on her ever-expanding stomach to calm herself.

Snow very much wanted to feel pity for herself, and somewhere deep inside she did. But most of her pity was for Regina. She was a woman without love and in enough pain to take it away from everyone else. No matter what her curse did, it wouldn't change that fact. She thought of the bright-eyed young woman Regina had been when they'd first met; how quick to smile she'd been, or to speak a kind word. She thought about how a mistake on her end had cost Regina those smiles and kind words and replaced them only with hatred and anger. That hatred and anger had taken root within her and manifested itself now on the whole kingdom as an impending curse.

Snow sighed softly and slowed her steps until she stood facing the small wardrobe. She reached out a hand to caress the light colored wood of the doors, and replayed the Blue Fairy's words over in her mind. Two people. Only two people. She'd felt hope then, when'd she first heard them. Her entire body brightened and the fog the news of the curse had lowered on them all began to clear. She and Charming could be together, away from Regina and her curse. They could raise their daughter in a new land free of anyone trying to kill her and perhaps, with her and Charming gone, Regina would have no reason to enact the curse. The happiness that had bloomed inside her must have blossomed into a full grown smile on her face because the Blue Fairy's gaze turned sad, and even the flap of her wings became pitying.

"Two people," she said again. Her voice, though soft, filled the meeting room. "The baby counts as one, and you the other."

Footsteps jolted her out of her reverie and she quickly turned to face the door, a defensive stance at the ready. Despite all the castle's guards and security measures, she had to be prepared for anything. Instead of Regina or one of her guards, however, Charming stood in front of her. Hair sleep-tousled and eyes still heavy, he gave her a smile that still made her heart race as he walked toward her.

"What are you doing in here?" He asked, though his eyes were drawn to the wardrobe and she knew he shared her worries.

"I could ask that of you. I thought you were sleeping?"

"I was. Until I rolled over and found that my lovely wife wasn't beside me." He smiled, reaching out to take her face in his hands, and when she leaned into him, it was as reflexive as breathing.

"I'm sorry." She apologized. "I'm just...scared." She looked up at him, brown eyes filled with every worry that she couldn't express aloud.

"Don't be," he assured her. "I will always find you." His lips pressed lightly against her own as if to emphasize the deal and a spark ran through her that made her entire body tremble.

Charming pulled away suddenly, immediately alert as he cast his gaze around the room, and she trembled again, though she noticed that she wasn't the only one. The candles she'd lit trembled on the table, the paintings on the walls trembled in their gilded frames, even Charming himself trembled. Her face went ashen.

Something was wrong.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: **If you gotten to the second chapter, thank you! I'll say here what I completely forgot to in the first. I'm not sure how long this will end up being, but I'm looking forward to writing it. If you have any suggestions, feel free to let me know! And, lastly but most important, these lovely characters do not belong to me.

* * *

"Hide." Charming urged her, taking up the sword that rested in its scabbard by the door and standing at the ready.

Snow frowned faintly, eyes on the door, hands on her stomach. "I'm not hiding." She insisted. Pregnant or not, whatever happened she would fight by his side, like she always had.

He opened his mouth to protest, but the loud noise of quickly moving feet on tile and the clash of swords was much too close for comfort and silenced them both. Charming shot her a look, a silent plea, and then nodded toward the wardrobe. Their plans would have to be executed much sooner instead of later like they had planned. Snow shook her head. She would get no goodbyes this way, no last night in her home. This would be all—a pleading glance, a dash to the wardrobe and then…what? She didn't want to run, she wanted to fight against Regina alongside Charming and everyone else. She wanted to help fight for her kingdom.

A sharp kick from within helped return her to her senses. Emma would save them all eventually, but first she needed to save Emma.

"I love you," She said, giving him a tearful smile.

His returning smile was every bit as bright as it always was. "I love you."

With a last, long look at him that etched itself into her mind, she quietly slipped into the wardrobe, taking care not to shut the doors completely just yet. She heard the doors to the chamber burst open, heard the tapping of Regina's shoes as she walked toward where Charming stood, surrounded now by guards, she noticed with a heavy heart from the crack between the doors.

Regina's laughter echoed loudly. "All alone, little shepherd boy. Now tell me, where is she?"

Charming's silence was her only answer and she stepped into the circle the armed guards formed around him to take his face roughly in her gloved hands. "Where is she?" She repeated.

"Gone." He answered finally, maneuvering his sword so that it rested against her breast. He noticed the flash of the guards' swords being unsheathed around him, but paid them all no attention. He could kill her in an instant, before any of their swords could pierce him.

As if following his thoughts, Regina flicked a hand casually, and the sword went careening, landing in a sad heap across the room at the base of the wardrobe. Regina turned her gaze from the prince as the steel hit wood.

"Ah. How predictable." She began to walk slowly, almost leisurely, toward the wardrobe.

Snow watched her through the crack, heart pounding. It was time. It was time for her to go. That was much easier thought than practiced, but as Regina's footsteps neared, she shut her eyes and drew in a deep breath.

_I love you, _she thought, hoping that somehow the unspoken words would reach Charming.

"Snow," Regina's voice was soft, mocking, a bastardization of how her stepmother had once said her name. "Come out, wherever you are."

She pulled the doors shut.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: **To my knowledge, Idera, New Hampshire is a town made-up entirely by myself. However, if it is real and anything I write about it offends you, feel free to let me know! Thanks for the reviews and follows in such a short amount of time! Encouragement like that keeps me writing. Once again, as always, I do not own the characters of OUAT. All others, however, do belong to me. Read and hopefully enjoy!

* * *

The smell of moss and dirt filled her lungs as she gasped for breath on a forest floor. The journey had been timeless—it had seemed both unbearably long and shockingly short, and it very well could have been since she had no idea where she was. Snow looked around tentatively. The snow had reminded her of the Enchanted Forest at first, but as her senses returned to her, she began to hear noises and see things that dispelled her theory.

Loud, honking noises, like the sound of geese, filled the air beyond the small, wooded area and through the trees she could just make out the slightly blurred shapes of speeding metal beasts. Trembling slightly and clutching her stomach, she stumbled through the underbrush in that direction. She only realized now that she was wearing her nightgown and house slippers—not exactly fit for being outside—but that was the very least of her worries, even as branches snagged the bottom of her gown, tearing holes and piercing her legs. It was day time here, unlike at home, and she was comforted to see that in this world there weren't two suns or bright pink skies. If she only looked up, she could almost pretend she was trekking through the Enchanted Forest. A faint smile formed on her face as lifted her face upward as she walked, soaking in the warmth of the sun and the light breeze that brushed her dark locks into her face.

And then, without warning, she was lying on her back still looking up at the sky, with a daze expression instead of a smile. She blinked and sat up, wincing at the slight pain in her back. She looked around to find what she had bumped into, or what had bumped into her, and was pleased to find a woman staring down at her. Even if that woman did wear a scowl and a bright pink outfit that looked as if it were made from wool. Thin, white snake-like things were stuck into each of her ears and blasted some sort of music that Snow didn't recognize. As Snow stared at her, the woman plucked one of the white snakes from her ear and held out a hand toward her. Snow took it and lifted herself to her feet.

"Thank you." She said sincerely, smiling at the woman, the first person she'd met in this new world. "I'm sorry if I bumped into you."

"Yeah, well," the woman sniffed. "Watch where you're going." Her eyes traveled the length of Snow White, taking her in, and Snow could feel her cheeks heat. What must this woman think of her, stumbling out of the woods in only a nightgown? Her eyes flickered back to Snow's rounded stomach and her demeanor softened. "God, I'm sorry. I didn't realize you were pregnant."

Snow's eyes narrowed warily and she put a protective hand over her belly. She felt suddenly exposed. Exposed and alone and tired. It may have been the day time here, but it was the middle of the night back home and all she wanted was to wake up from this nightmare warm in Charming's arms. Her eyes began to tear as she thought of her home and her husband who had been disarmed and surrounded by guards and an Evil Queen when she'd last seen him.

"Where am I?" She asked the woman wearily, blinking back the rest of the tears that threatened to escape her.

"Right now? Just off the road in Idera, New Hampshire."

"New Hampshire," Snow tested out the foreign words. "Is that what this world is called?"

The woman frowned and glanced at the pocket watch attached to her wrist. "Look, I'm sorry for bumping into you and everything, but I don't have time for crazy first thing in the morning." Snow opened her mouth to protest—she wasn't crazy!—but before she could, the woman stuck the white snake back into her ear and ran awkwardly away. Her blonde ponytail swung as if to wave goodbye until she disappeared from sight.

Snow sighed. Now she really was alone, with only the noise of woodland animals at her back and the noise of the honking metal beasts in front of her. Emma moved around inside of her, beginning to grow restless no doubt, agitated at their strange new environment.

"Me, too, Emma. Me, too."


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: **I should get to bed, but I'll just drop this chapter off here, first. OUAT characters do not belong to me.

* * *

Snow sat on the sidewalk, trying hard not to cry. She had no idea where to go or what to do and she had no one but the baby inside of her to talk to. Besides how to get here, they hadn't planned this out carefully. They had thought of very little beyond escaping Regina and her curse. Then again, this world scarcely resembled their own. Gone were the deep woods where one could get lost for days; gone were the dresses and knee breeches and capes; gone were the mermaids and pirates and fairies; gone was the magic. From all that she could see of this world from where she sat, which wasn't much but was certainly enough, there was only honking metal beasts who shook the ground as they roared past and rude women clad in bright pink.

She shook her head and tried to be optimistic, tried to think of everything that there could be that she simply hadn't seen yet. Babies. There were obviously babies in this world; the woman hadn't seemed surprised by her pregnancy. Forests. It was small, but it was something. Houses. She could just make them out down the road, though they didn't resemble the houses or castles in the Enchanted Forest. Everything was similar just…different. Was a lack of magic the cause of the differences in this world?

She looked up at the sky, slowly darkening now, and found comfort in it as she had before. Parts of the sky were still bright with light, pale blue and cloudless, but the dark had started to creep in, tinting other parts violet and indigo. The moon began to reveal herself, and brought with her her offspring: the stars. She turned her attention away from the sky and back toward the metal beasts. As the sky had darkened, their fronts began to shine, bright lights that stretched for miles in front of them, highlighting the darkness and bringing the shadows to life.

The few times their lights had passed over her, she had jumped in surprise, startled, as if she were being singled out. They quickly passed over her small frame, however, leaving her dazed and the edges of her vision white. She was murmuring reassurances to Emma to steady her nerves when it happened. One of the beasts turned its illuminate eyes on her and stayed there as the metal machine rumbled. She didn't think that it was really a creature that could eat her, she had come to the conclusion that they were some new type of carriages, but it didn't scare her any less. She took a deep breath and stood, drawing herself up to her full height as she stared down the beast. A loud honking emanated from the inside, but it was unlike most of the honking she'd heard so far. This time it sounded…friendly?

She took a tentative step toward it and it roared off, surging forward until it reached the end of the street, turning just as suddenly until it pulled up alongside her. This time the lights shined forward instead of directly on her and the window rolled down to reveal a smiling face.

"Hi!" The woman inside chirped brightly. Another, duller light from inside illuminated her and Snow could see her smile, wide and genuine and slightly concerned. "Looking to go somewhere, sweetie?"

"I…hi. Yes."

"Where to?"

Snow faltered. She wanted to say the Enchanted Forest, but had little desire to be called crazy again. Besides, she doubted that she would be able to get back. If there was even anything to get back to. She pushed down that thought firmly as tears began to smart at her eyes. "I don't know," She admitted. "I'm new here and I have no idea where to go or how to get anywhere."

"Looks like you've met the right person then." There was click and the woman leaned over and pushed the door open to Snow. "I'm Vicky." Snow's smile was grateful and she got into the car after the smallest hesitation. The woman seemed nice and being inside the beast with her was better than sitting alone in the dark.

"I was a traveler myself in my youth, though never with a little one on the way," The woman explained as she drove off." She shot a curious look over in Snow's direction, noticing but not commenting on her attire. "Boy or girl?" She asked.

"Girl."

Vicky nodded in approval. "Got two of 'em myself. Any names picked out?"

"Emma," Saying her daughter's name aloud to this stranger, to this other mother, somehow made everything more real than it had been moments ago.

"Nice name. Katie and Lauren, my two. But not babies anymore. 12 and 15 going on 25, you know?" She laughed and her laughter filled the car. It was loud, but warm, and Snow felt herself relax some as she stared out the window.

The beast went faster than it had seemed to go from the outside, the images blurring faster than she could process them. She could make out tall candles that illuminated the night at various intervals and beneath them, other people. People with children or dogs, couples holding hands as they whispered into one another's ears words that cause the smiles on the face of one another. The sight of them made her heart ached she looked away idly twisting the ring on her left hand.

"What is this called?" She asked finally, to distract herself from her thoughts.

"What, this song?" Vicky asked, nodding toward the radio. A song played that Snow didn't know, but she wasn't altogether interested in it.

"No, what we're in."

"Oh, the car." _A car, _Snow thought. _Short for carriage, maybe? _"It's nothing special, an old Ford Taurus.

"Oh." Snow was enjoying the conversation, and decided to use it to learn more about this strange land. "Where did you travel to, when you were young?"

The question seemed to make Vicky happy, she perked right up. "Oh, all over. All 48 continental states, plus Hawaii and Alaska, though I needed a plane to get to those two. Couldn't hitch a ride, of course. Let's see, where else? London, and Paris. Amsterdam, too. Boy, that one was fun." She laughed and Snow, feeling as though there was a joke she should understand, laughed along with her. "What about you?" Vicky asked. "Where'd you come from, and where're you headed?"

Snow fell quiet, avoiding the older woman's questioning gaze. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you," She assured the woman. The other one certainly hadn't.

Vicky shrugged. "Try me."


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: **Short chapter, as the next one will most likely be, but bear with me! I'm still trying to see where the story leads me on top of getting back into the swing of writing after a dormant period. I'd like to finish this fanfic before university starts back up again, but depending on how long this turns out to be, I may not. Oh, and all OUAT characters do not belong to me.

* * *

Snow hesitated. She knew not to give her true name or the name of the Enchanted Forest—something about them apparently made her seem crazy. Still, she had to give Vicky something. And she'd have to remember it for future reference. She racked her brain for a name that she hoped was as common here as in the Enchanted Forest.

"Mary," she began tentatively. "Mary Margaret. That's my name and I'm from...a tiny kingd– a small town. Near the woods."

Vicky nodded, seemingly satisfied. "And where're you headed?" She prompted.

"Wherever you're willing to take me." Snow answered honestly.

The older woman nodded quietly and they drove in silence for what Snow assumed was a few miles—cars were so _fast_—watching the town unfold before her. It seemed that there were lights and signs that could control the beasts, the cars. There were plenty of houses, all painted different colors or built in different styles, some with their own small bodies of water behind them or miniature castles built way up in trees that children played on. She smiled, imagining Emma playing in her own miniature castle one day. Her smile faded when she remembered that Emma would never get to see the real castle that was supposed to have been her home.

She bit her lower lip to stop the sting of tears and looked around as the car began to slow. They stopped in front of a small, yellow house with an untamed garden out front and Snow was pleased to find that she recognized the flowers. Roses, lilies, even a few sunflowers, were hidden amongst the steadily growing weeds.

"It's not much," Vicky was saying as she got out of the car, and Snow scrambled out after her after an awkward moment with the lock and the door handle. "But it's something. You can stay in our guest room for a bit, just until you get on your feet and get a job and all." She turned to look at Snow with a smile and she realized that her eyes were a light blue, as blue as the sky on a cloudless day and just as comforting.

"Can't just leave you on the side of the road expecting a baby and all."

Unable to press back the swell of emotion that washed over her, Snow wrapped the older woman in a hug. "Thank you," She breathed. "Thank you so much."

Vicky pat Snow's back a bit awkwardly at first, ensnared in the embrace, before taking a step back. "Now, c'mon. You can meet the girls and get settled in."

She headed inside the small, sunny house and Snow, after taking a moment to look around the new place that would be her temporary home, followed her.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **Thanks for all the support the past few days, everyone! I really appreciate it and it makes me want to keep writing. Any suggestions you all might have feel free to toss my way! As always, I do not own the OUAT characters.

* * *

Vicky's daughters, Katie and Lauren, were angels who giggled quietly at Snow's technological incompetence as they showed her how to work everything from the microwave to the TV. Her small exclamations of surprise and delight only made them giggle all the more, and they watched her with the same fascination that she had as she watched TV.

Snow's eyes were wide and fixed on the large, square screen. She jumped back, startled, as a loud noise emanated from it and then glanced at the girls. "Did you see that?" She exclaimed excitedly. "How does it work? And you can watch anything?"

"Yes." Lauren giggled.

"Is it real people? I mean, are they really doing these things?"

"Sometimes." Katie spoke up. "It depends on what you're watching. But not this show. They're just acting."

Snow nodded, happy to understand at least one thing about this strangely wonderful magic. "Like a play," She determined, and both girls nodded.

The girls flipped through the channels to show her a few more shows, skipping past an animated movie. "Wait, wait, go back, please." Snow urged.

Lauren did as she was asked and rolled her eyes. "Oh, that's just Snow White. It's a really old Disney movie. Pretty boring, too." Snow, whose head had swiveled toward the young girl at the sound of her real name, turned back to look at the screen. The young woman wasn't real—"It's a cartoon, Mary Margaret"—and she resembled Snow only a little bit. The dress she wore was one that she'd never seen and the songs, well. Snow didn't sing, especially not when she cleaned. She did giggle the slightest bit at the woman who was supposedly Regina. She didn't think Regina would take too kindly to her movie portrayal, though their scowls were nearly identical.

"How…" She began, confused. "How did they make this movie? How did they know everything?"

"Oh, that's easy. It's a fairy tale. You know, a story for little kids."

Snow nodded slowly, taking in this information. Her life was a story and a movie for children, and not a very accurate one. "Are there other stories?" She asked.

Katie nodded and ran up the stairs easily, the little girls here could wear whatever they like and she wasn't hindered by a dress, returning a minute later with a large, leather-bound book in her hand. The words Once Upon A Time were spelled out in ornate gold lettering. Snow flipped through the pages, looking through all of them. Most were inaccurate, based on the lives of her friends and others that she knew, but they all ended with a happy ending. She found her eyes tearing up when she got to her own story with Charming. Though the facts were wrong, the love remained, and the longing that she felt for him that she had been able to push back due to her shock of this new world quickly came flooding back.

She quickly shut the book and handed it to the young girl. "Thank you."

"You know," Katie piped up. "You kinda look like her."

Snow flushed nervously, a hand going to her stomach as it often did during when she was nervous. "Who?" She asked, though she knew who Katie meant.

"Snow White. Your hair is a little longer, but my mom says you came from the woods." She giggled, looking at Snow's dirt stained nightgown that she had yet to change out of. "Is an Evil Queen after your heart, too?"

She almost said "not anymore". Instead, she forced herself to give a little laugh. "No," She assured Katie. "She isn't." _Just after my daughter and my entire kingdom_.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Thanks again for all the support! I'm really loving it! Slightly longer chapter this time to make up for not updating yesterday. As always, th OUAT characters do not belong to me.

* * *

It took Snow a few days to begin to settle into life in this new world, and even longer to adjust to sleeping in a bed without Charming. Emma moved more often in the night now, as if she too missed Charming's presence. Still, she didn't do very much sleeping and the sleeping she did do brought to her dreams of happiness—filled with Charming and a beautiful toddler Emma—that always seemed to turn dark. Dense green fog would snuff out any and all light and Regina's laughter was always omnipotent.

_Snow, come out wherever you are._

"Snow!" A voice called for her and she opened her eyes to find Katie peering over her with a smile. The younger girl had given her the nickname, not knowing how fitting it was. Still, it warmed her to be called by her true name, however unknowingly.

"Yes?" She asked as she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"My mom wants to know if you can drive us to school." She giggled. "Well, if you know how. If not, we can just walk."

Snow's cheeks warmed, embarrassed at her inability to do much in this world, and she nodded. "Walking would be best. Let me just change." Katie nodded, satisfied, and left the room as Snow began to change into a sweater and jeans.

Gone were the gowns and even breeches of the Enchanted Forest, replaced with these gender neutral clothes. She still found the pants—jeans—uncomfortable, and was determined to buy different clothing as soon as she was able to. Still, Vicky had kindly bought her these and she appreciated the gesture. Snow's gratitude for the woman seemed to grow daily and she had no idea how she would ever repay her for her kindness.

She was on her way down the stairs when the first contraction hit, and she gripped the railing, knuckles turning white from the pressure. She took a deep breath and the pain of the contraction cut it short, turning it into a soft whimper. She squeezed her eyes shut and focused on taking slow, shallow breaths. She could hear one of the girls at the bottom of the landing asking if she was alright, but she couldn't reply. She simply shook her head and the voice faded away, calling for Vicky. One hand still gripping the rail, she moved the other to her belly. As painful and hectic as the contractions were, she could only imagine what Emma must be going through inside of her.

"It'll be okay," She assured the baby fighting to get out of her, though she wasn't so sure of that herself. She didn't fight back the tears that pricked at her eyes as she thought of Charming. He was supposed to be there with her, by her side. An image of him popped into her head, his smile bright and happy, his eyes filled with concern for her and Emma. She imagined that he was beside her now; that it was his hand she was gripping instead of the stair railing; that she was back in the Enchanted Forest without the threat of Regina and her magic looming over everyone's heads.

She imagined all of this and a faint smile found its way to her face. It lasted just as long as she went contraction free, and then she let out a shriek made entirely of pain.

* * *

As curious as she was about all of the beeping noises and people running around in white, waves of pain crashing over her forbid her from speaking. The only sounds she could manage were screams and muffled whimpers and she made plenty. Vicky stood beside her, mahogany hair fixed into a rushed bun that was already falling out, tendrils of hair spilling into her face. Snow's own was already drenched with sweat and plastered to her face and the pillows propping her up. Gone were the sweater and the uncomfortable jeans, now she wore only a parchment thin gown that opened at the back. She would have flushed to be so under dressed in public were she not in such pain.

Later, the memories of the time leading up to Emma's birth would come back to her in snippets tempered by pain. The questions the people in white tried to ask her, the reassuring feel of Vicky's hand in hers, the sting of the needle stuck deep into her back. Reality mixed with memory as the drugs in the needle began to affect her and her screams of pain were tempered with murmured names and places.

"Enchanted Forest…Regina…Charming." "Charming…the wardrobe…two people." "Emma." "Charming."

The first sharp cry chased away the fog that had ensnared her mind and when her eyes landed on her daughter for the first time, on _Emma_, time stopped. As they handed over the small, squirming newborn everything and everyone faded away. Deep did she feel the ache of Charming's absence from the happy moment, but the weight and feel and smell of the newborn in her arms did much to remedy it. She smiled tiredly, sweetly, down at her daughter and spoke to her not as the future savior, but as a baby who was very much loved and wanted.

"Hi, Emma. It's so nice to finally meet you."


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **I've decided to take the curse and go in a slightly different direction with it. Or, well, the story decided that for me. There is no magic in our world, of course, but I don't think Regina would want to take all that power away from herself and be limited to only a mere magic apple obtained by using Jefferson's hat. That said, in my story Regina retained her magic when she brought everyone over to Storybrooke.

* * *

Something was wrong.

Regina paused during her careful application of her lipstick in the gilded mirror hanging on the wall, her lips a dangerous shade of red as she pursed them and stood still. A faint hint of magic filled the air, magic of a far different breed than her own. While the aura of her magic was dark and smoky, leaving fear and foreboding in its wake, this magic was light and airy, like a feather or the sound of laughter. Light magic. Nothing and no one in this world had magic save herself and if they did, the person she would suspect of having it would possess magic darker than her own, not light magic.

The answer was as clear to her as her own name and begun within her waves of hatred that she thought she had left behind in the Enchanted Forest. Snow White was not dead, as she had deluded herself into thinking in the weeks since the curse had been enacted.

She was, in fact, far from death. She had given birth to the Savior.

Slowly, Regina set down the tube of lipstick in her hand and fixed her eyes on the mirror. For a moment she saw only her own livid face staring back at her, but after a moment the glass began to ripple and fog over until it showed to her a familiar face. He smiled at her a cruel smile that she returned.

"What is it that you wish to see, Madam Mayor?" The mirror stretched out her new title mockingly.

She would waste no time playing his game. She narrowed her eyes. "Show me Snow White. And her little brat."

* * *

The first few days with Emma were rough.

Both mom and baby had to stay at the hospital, the name for this advanced infirmary, and nurses and doctors were constantly coming in and out. They checked on Snow and on Emma, poking and prodding and questioning. Did she have any pain? Was she feeling sad after the birth? Of course she was sad, sad that Charming wasn't there, but she didn't think that was what they were asking about, so she shook her head no for both questions.

The first few times Snow had woken to find Emma and her hospital crib gone, fear had seized her heart in its tight grip and she had panicked, repeatedly pressing the red button to call the nurse until someone came and explained to her that the nurses were only performing tests to make sure that Emma was healthy, and that her daughter would be returned to her shortly. Even still, Snow searched every one of their faces for any hint of Regina and her magic and relaxed only when Emma was safe and warm back in her arms.

Despite everything, though, Emma was an amazing baby. She slept most of the time, but when she was awake she rarely cried, nuzzling happily into her mother's arms, her warmth filling Snow's heart. Vicky and the girls fell in love with her at first sight, all taking turns holding her and cooing at her. The girls stroked her head of blonde curls and inquired after her father, eyes on Snow's own dark locks.

"Prince Charming's her dad, silly!" Katie chimed in playfully when Lauren asked and a sharp pang of longing struck sharply at Snow's breast. She forced a smile that she hoped didn't look as strained as it felt and nodded, not contradicting Katie and not wanting to talk about it.

Noticing the tension at the edge of her smile, Vicky shushed her younger daughter with a look. "Not all babies have the same hair color as their parents, you two should know that." She smiled apologetically at Snow. "They're being silly. I'm a redhead and their dad was a blonde and the two of them are as raven-haired as you."

Snow nodded. "It's okay. They're just curious." But she said no more. Though she understood their curiosity, she would not alleviate it. At least, not today.

Taking Emma from Lauren and carefully placing her into Snow's arms, Vicky ushered the girls out of the hospital room until she and Snow were alone, save baby Emma. "Are you okay?" Her voice was soft, as if she knew somehow that she was not at all okay, and tears began to pool in Snow's eyes at the question so tenderly asked.

Snow remained quiet until she was sure that her voice wouldn't break when she spoke. "Yes. I think so."

Vicky nodded after a moment and placed a hand gently on her shoulder before leaving the room. Snow watched her and the girls walk away until they reached the end of the sterile white hallway, and then turned her gaze toward the window. The green of leaves and grass and the bright colors of flowers greeted her, a welcome relief to the blankness that was the hospital. The colors and their warmth gave her the strength to begin speaking. Since she could not meet him, at least not yet, it was up to Snow to tell her daughter what a wonderful man her father was.

"Once Upon a Time," She began, recalling the words from Katie's book.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Sorry for not updating in a few days. I've been busy. I went to see The Lion King on Broadway (amazing!) and then to the beach, ****plus the Sims 4 CAS demo came out today and has been consuming my time.**** Unfortunately, I'm sick now and my brain refuses to focus much on writing, but I included a brief Snowing dream sequence since I've been dying to write them, just as much as some have you have been eager to read about them. Hopefully this long-ish chapter makes up for my previous lack of inactivity. As always, I do not own the OUAT characters. **

* * *

On the morning that she and Emma were to be released from the hospital, Snow was greeted by a small gift box on her bedside table. Pale pink and elaborately wrapped with a bright red ribbon, the box had only a white card attached to it. _Congratulations_, it read simply. Curious as to who it might be from and what might be inside, Snow carefully untied the ribbon and lifted the lid.

What she saw inside made her blood run cold and time seemed to pause as she picked up the plump red apple and held it in her hand. Memories flashed through her mind at lightning speed and she could feel her breath quicken along with them, making it harder for her to catch her breath. _Regina. _But….how? She racked her brain, trying to think about what it all meant. Regina was in this world and she knew about Emma. But what about everyone else from the Enchanted Forest? Had the curse simply brought them all here? Charming, too? She felt as if she were drowning in her own thoughts, each piling atop the next and demanding her full attention. One thing was sure, though.

She and Emma were not safe.

She picked her up her daughter and held her close, the feel of her tiny body against her own helping her to calm some as she picked through the thoughts in her mind one by one. She refused to give into panic as Regina's gift was no doubt intended to make her do. This world had no magic, of that she was sure. But that didn't mean that Regina was powerless. As she packed she and Emma's few belongings, still holding the infant close, she wondered how Regina had found them. Was she so close that she had simply seen them, she wondered, before dismissing the thought entirely. If Regina had been that close, she would have already struck, not even waiting for Emma to draw her first breath. She shivered at the thought.

Though her head worried about Regina's presence in this world, her heart raced for Charming's. He was here! He had to be. All at once a thought seized her and heart began to ache. He may be here, but that didn't mean that he was alive, or unhurt. She had to believe that he was safe. She would have felt it, wouldn't she, if he were gone?

She shook her head. She couldn't think thoughts like that. They always found one another no matter how long it took. She could wait, if she had to. If it meant that she would see him again. She just hoped that she didn't have to wait too long.

Placing the crimson apple back into its small box, Snow tossed the whole thing in the garbage. She and Emma would be fine. She would do everything in her power to make sure that was true.

* * *

Vicky and the girls picked up Snow and baby Emma, the girls unable to stop giggling or squirming in their seats for the entire short ride. Vicky shot them warning glances in the mirror, but that only made them giggle and squirm all the more. Snow didn't notice. She had too much to think about—Charming, Regina, getting a job and moving out—and she was still exhausted from having given birth barely 24 hours before.

Once the car was parked, Lauren and Katie raced into the house and up the stairs. Snow, holding Emma in the new car seat Vicky had gotten for her—yet another thing to be extremely grateful for—and Vicky followed behind at a slower pace.

"SURPRISE!" The girls yelled when they all reached the room that Snow and Emma were to share, beaming smiles on both their faces as they stood in the doorway.

Smiling, Snow peered inside, her smile giving way to a look of surprise, awe, and gratitude. She could feel her face flush and tears pool in her eyes as she looked around, speechless. They'd turned half the room into a nursery for Emma, equipped with a crib and toys and everything else that Emma could need or want. It wasn't the nursery that Snow and Charming had decorated for Emma themselves, but it was so much more than she ever could have hoped. She set down Emma's car seat and wrapped the two girls into a hug.

"Thank you so much." She murmured sincerely, before turning to face Vicky. She wrapped the older woman into a hug that she hope conveyed at least a fraction of the gratitude that she felt.

"You…I…you didn't have to do this. I can't thank you enough." She managed to get out.

Vicky smiled at her warmly. "You don't have to. Just enjoy it, you and this cutie, here." She bent down to smile at Emma. "Everyone needs a little help sometimes."

Snow sniffed and nodded, wiping at her eyes. She cried so often now. She didn't know if it was this world making her overly emotional, or just Vicky's never-ending selflessness and kindness. She unstrapped Emma and picked her up to show her everything.

"Look, Emma." She spoke softly, happily. "All of this is for you." _And no one will take it from you_, she added silently. _Especially not Regina._ _Not again._

That night, Snow lie awake in her bed, staring up at the ceiling. Emma lie asleep in her crib, snuggled happily beneath a blanket, a smiling moon mobile staring down at her while the real moon's light shone through the bars of the crib. In the dark, with only the moon's light and the sound of Emma's soft breathing for company, Snow allowed herself to miss Charming as she didn't during the day. If she let it, the longing would swallow her completely, hollow her out, and so it was only during the night that she allowed herself to feel any part of it.

The ache for him crashed over her, steady waves of pain that began in her heart and thrummed throughout her entire body. She shut her eyes and the pain dulled as she fell asleep.

_"You found me," Snow exhaled. She had so many other things to say, but those words sprung to her lips first, a simple, unsurprised fact. Had she ever doubted that he would?_

_"Always," He responded sincerely, and then their time for words was over._

_He cupped her cheeks first, staring into those warm brown eyes that he would always know as home. The way that she lit up for him, the way that they lit up for _one _another, couldn't be described. It wasn't like coming home after a long day—it was like coming home after an eternity, an entire eternity lived without her, which was how every second away from her had felt. But she was here now, or rather he was here, but it didn't' matter. His arms went around her and hers around him and they clung to one another, melded into one, the barest sliver of space between them electric with anticipation. When their lips touched, the world ended and then was reborn, better, so much better, than it had been before. Colors were brighter, the feel of his skin under her fingers softer and warmer, and the taste of him. So familiar and yet so long awaited that it was brand new. Her memory had, she realized, done him no justice at all. He tasted of forest and spice and love. Because, yes, love had a taste but it was no use describing it. It was a taste that was _felt, _down to her bones and in her heart until it became a part of her, a part that she had no intention of letting go ever again. A rush of feeling—love and passion and purity—washed over them both and they basked in its aura together._

_Snow felt dizzy with happiness when they finally pulled away from another, just enough to breathe but not enough to break their embrace. Her head rest lightly against his chest and she could hear the very real sound of the beating of his heart, in tune with her own, and feel his cheek resting on top of her head. She lifted her head after a long while—long, but not nearly long enough—and reached for his face. She brushed her fingers over his face tracing every dip, angle, and curve she could find. The stubble on his jaw scratched lightly against her fingertips. Charming turned to kiss her fingers, and then the inside of her wrist, her shoulder, her cheek. They were discovering one another all over again and it was a more powerful magic that stirred within them than any curse._

_ Snow paused as soft cries reached her ears and she looked around, expecting to find Emma. "Emma?" She murmured breathlessly, Charming's lips still pressing against any inch of skin that he could find._

_"Charming, do you hear Emma crying?" She asked, reluctantly taking a step away from him._

_He opened his mouth to reply, but the sound of cries drowned him out. Snow frowned faintly and he faded away, along with the gown that she wore and the long, dark locks that had framed her face. The interior of the castle, their castle, faded away, too, and she was left, stunned, standing in the middle of an unfamiliar road as great, roaring metal beasts roared past her on either side. And the cries only got louder._

Snow opened her eyes with a soft gasp and stood, groggily making her way over to her Emma's crib where the infant lie crying. She gently picker her up and cradled her in her arms like the precious thing that she was. She touched her own cheek with one hand, surprised to feel her own cheeks wet with tears.

"I miss him, too," She assured her daughter. "But this time _we're_ going to find _him_."


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N:** I go back to school on Saturday! I'm so excited to go back! Honestly guys, college is way better than high school. Plus, I got a new internship and MY FIRST JOB! So I'm super excited for those, although that means once I go back I won't be able to update as often. Hopefully you all hang in there with me. As always, I don't own the OUAT characters.

* * *

Regina didn't actually know where Snow and her brat were. Sure, she'd seen them in their hospital room—small and white and with no hint as to its location—but her magic had simply conjured up her little gift by Snow's bedside without the added benefit of informing Regina of her location. It seemed that despite this world's fascinating technology, or maybe because of it, her power was much more lacking than it had been in the enchanted forest.

A few weeks and a dozen checks in her mirror later and she was still no closer to finding the two banes of her existence. She scowled at her reflection in the glass of the door before slipping into the hospital, pasting a smile onto her face. She could hear the murmurs of "Good morning, Madame Mayor" as she strode through the small town hospital, but she didn't reply.

"Whale," She called, entering the hospital room where he was leaning over a younger patient. She recognized the face of the patient, one of the children from one of the villages near the castle. The forced smile on her face wavered, but she fixed it in place.

He straightened up at once and looked her way. "Madame Mayor. Good morning. May I ask what you're doing here?"

"I had a few questions about one of your patients."

Whale opened his mouth and she waved away his words before they had a chance to fill the air between them. "Don't bother with doctor-patient confidentiality. This particular patient has no family."

"Oh, the John Doe. What about him?"

"He hasn't woken up, has he?"

"Not that I know of. Although Nurse Nora said he's been moving much more often in the past few days."

Regina bit back the curse that rose to her lips. "So, he might wake up soon?"

Whale shrugged, running a hand through his dirty blonde hair. "There's no real way to tell but to tell except just to wait it out. Have you been contacted by any of his family or friends?"

"No," She snapped, before softening her tone. "I mean, I was only wondering. We're using resources on someone's who's not even a Storybrooke resident. Does he even have insurance? How is this all being paid for?"

"By the hospital and the town for now, Madame Mayor."

"Hmph. So, we're just going to continue this until…when? He wakes up? _If _he wakes up?"

"Well, yes. What else can we do?" Dr. Whale asked, looking warily at Regina.

The question made her smile. "Without a next of kin, the decision for his medical care rests with me. And I think it's entirely inhumane to keep this poor young man on life support."

* * *

Snow, Emma, Katie, and Lauren were all going to take a trip. The girls had a Girl Scouts trip up in Maine and Snow had offered to take them so that Vicky could stay home and work. It was the very least that she could do to begin paying Vicky and the girls back for everything that they had done, and continued to do, for her and Emma.

Besides, it didn't hurt to see the other villages ("States", Katie had corrected, giggling) that this world had to offer. Maybe—hopefully—she could find Charming in one of them.

Snow strapped Emma into her car seat in the car that she had spent the last few weeks being taught to drive (easier than riding a horse and driving a carriage—this world had it easy), double-checking to make sure that Emma was in there correctly. While learning to drive had been much easier than she had thought it would be, Emma's car seat was awful. So many buckles and straps and snaps all they were all worth it to keep her baby safe. She kissed the rosy-cheeked infant, reveling in her bright smiles, before shutting the door.

"All right, ready girls?" She asked, lifting Lauren's bag and placing it into the trunk before doing the same with Katie's.

"Yes!" They squealed in unison, racing to other side of the car.

"I get to sit in the middle next to Emma!" Lauren called, bumping Katie out of the way in their struggle to open the door.

"No fair!" Katie whined, but dutifully climbed into the car after her sister. Inside, Lauren was already playing with Emma, as evidenced by the happy giggles that came from the car.

Snow smiled to herself, grateful for the company of the girls and how eagerly they'd stepped into the roles of "big sister" for Emma. She got in the car.

"All right, girls. Let's go."


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N:** Hi all! If you're still reading, thanks! Thanks especially to Fangirl308. She's such a sweetheart and her reviews are a big encouragement for me to keep writing! Other reviews or criticism would, of course, be welcome. Also, I'm fully back into the swing of things at school now as of this week, so expect more wait time between chapters most likely, but longer chapters to make up for that fact! As always, I do not own the OUAT characters.

* * *

Snow had just learned to drive and she knew little about the concept of gas or filling up the car before a long drive. She and the girls made it into Maine before the car started to tremble and act funny. By then, it was dark, all three girls were asleep, and she had no idea where she was going—the woman giving her directions through the tiny box ("the GPS, silly! Not a real woman") had gone silent miles ago. Frowning worriedly and squinting in the dark to see any signs that might give her any indication as to where they were, she pulled her car over to the side of the road.

She got out, closing the door carefully so as not to wake the girls, and studied the car. From what little she could see, nothing was wrong with it. Sighing, she leaned against it, weary from both the drive and the complexities of this world. The area was heavily wooded on both sides, the street a long, dark strip of asphalt that seemed out of place. It reminded her a little of the Enchanted Forest and her nerves ebbed away a bit. They quickly reemerged, however, at the sight of bright headlights tearing toward her in the darkness.

They cut off along with the car and in the darkness she could scarcely make out the figure of a man, his shadow tall, coming toward her. She tensed, her gaze flickering quickly toward the young girls in the car, and stood up straighter. She might not have her bow and arrow with her, but the jeans that she wore would be easier to fight in than any of her gowns or breeches had been. A click alerted her senses and a small beam of light appeared, pointed in her direction and illuminating her features. Thanks to the light the stranger was visible to her, if only barely and they studied one another in the weak light of the flashlight before he spoke. His voice was gruff but friendly with a lilt to it, an accent that she couldn't place at first. When he stepped closer, the frown faded from her face, replaced with a smile brighter than any flashlight beam.

"Huntsman!" She exclaimed, surprised and wonderfully pleased to see him. Still, she crossed her arms in front of her chest, in front of her heart. She wasn't sure what he was doing there or whether or not he was doing Regina's bidding again. She thought back to the carefully packaged apple in the hospital room and shivered.

The huntsman frowned at her faintly, confusion on his face clear even in the faint light. "I'm Graham, the sheriff here in Storybrooke. I noticed you pull over doing my patrol shift." He nodded toward the car. "Is something wrong?"

"I, um. I'm not sure."

"Well, I could take a look. You must be from out of town, huh?" He asked, shooting her a smile.

She nodded quietly and studied him closer, wondering what he was playing at. He didn't seem to recognize her at all, he seemed to be more confused than anything. Or at least he was pretending to be. As nice as it was to see a familiar face, she had to remember that that familiar face had once been under Regina's control trying to kill her and most likely could be again. She had to stay wary and ready for any tricks. But…she really did need help with the car.

After a few minutes of his studying the inner workings of the car—with her blocking his view of Emma and the other girls—he finally peeked at the gas gage and chuckled. "Ah, here's your issue. No gas. There's a gas station further into town; you've only just passed the town limits. I could give you all a ride to Granny's to get some shut eye since it's so late, and help you get your car, and some gas, in the morning. Whaddya say?"

Snow studied him with narrowed eyes. It could be a trick. He could very well be taking them straight to Regina. But what other choice did she have? Wait with the girls by the side of the road until morning? Even if she did that, she still wouldn't have any gas to make the car run again. She sighed. She really missed carriages. Shooting another wary glance in the huntsman's—Graham's—direction, she nodded reluctantly.

"All right. Let me get the girls."

They drove in relative silence, the sound of crickets and the tread of the tires against the road the only sound. Even Katie and Lauren, awake now, maintained their sleepy silence as they took in the small town through the windows. It was a cute town, smaller than their own, surrounded by trees. A small Tudor style cottage loomed before them as Graham drove up to the front and parked, helping get their few bags from the trunk. As Snow lifted Emma's car seat from the back, he made a move to help her, but she shied away, moving the car seat and her daughter from him. He took no real notice, however, and took the rest of their things inside.

"Well, here you go. You check in right over there," He nodded toward an empty front desk. "Granny or Ruby should come if you ring that bell there. I'll be back around nine tomorrow morning to help. Sound good?"

"Yes. Thank you." She looked tired and worried and her shoulders sagged under the weight of the car seat, but she held her head high as she spoke and looked him in the eyes.

Snow's appearance and heartfelt thanks stirred something within him but when he blinked it was gone and he offered her and the girls a smile. "Welcome to Storybrooke."

* * *

The white magic was closer than it had been in weeks and much more powerful. What had once been a tiny fluttering pulse seemed to grow stronger by the second, like an insistent itch in the back of Regina's mind that she couldn't scratch. She could feel it rippling over her skin, over her town, in gentle, infuriating waves. She would have to find out just what that meant soon, but for now she had other pressing concerns to deal with. Apparently, it was unethical for a mayor to make decisions about the health of patients, whether or not said patient had any family to make decisions for him. She couldn't interfere, unless the entire town put it to a vote.

Regina's scowl deepened with each word that left Whale's mouth, resisting the overwhelming urge to turn him into a bug and squash him. She was the queen, she could do what she wanted just like she always had, to any of her subjects. Apparently the rulers in this world didn't have that much power. She sneered. _Politics. _She checked her temper before she grew too angry. She had what the politicians and rulers of this world didn't have—magic. And with it, she could still do as she pleased. After all, she had conjured an entire lifetime of memories for all of the inhabitants of the Enchanted Forest. What was a little more magical tampering in the grand scheme of things?

She smirked, her eyes flickering to the room where Snow's Charming lie in his hospital bed—still alive and breathing. The red smirk faded from her face soon after, however, as a flurry of activity sent the tiny hospital into an uproar. Lost in thoughts and her own annoyance, she hadn't seen the first nurse step into Charming's room, or the two after that, until they were calling for Dr. Whale and he broke off midsentence to join them. Regina watched them from the hall, rapt with attention, and grabbed a young nurse's arm in a vice grip as she walked by.

"What's going on?" She asked. Anger rolled off her tongue, the tone of a queen instead of a lousy mayor.

The young girl struggled to free her arm. "It's the John Doe, Madame Mayor. He's awake."


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: I feel so badly that I haven't updated in a little while! School just begun, but it's really starting to pick up, plus on top of my 5 classes, I now have an internship and a job. Also, sims 4 just came out. So I have little time for anything besides homework, the occasional meal, and a few hours of sleep a night. I might not update nearly as often, but I have no plans of abandoning you all, or Snow and baby Emma! Also! R****oom 103 is in dedication to the 3****rd**** episode in the first season, Snow Falls, when Snow and Charming meet! As always, the OUAT characters don't belong to me. **

At the sight of the tall brunette, Snow was filled with a hope and happiness that had mostly remained buried inside of her ever since she had come to this world. Even the joy she'd felt at Emma's birth had been dampened by the absence of Charming and the threat of Regina. Seeing the Huntsman had been one thing—a familiar if not entirely friendly face in this world of strangers—but seeing Red, her best friend, was different. It was like the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel, but much so much brighter.

Or it would have been had she resembled the Red that she knew. This Red, Ruby as she informed Snow rather unkindly, belonged entirely to this world. Strips of red colored her hair, dark makeup shadowed her eyes, and her clothes…Snow flushed and averted her eyes.

"Can I help you?" She sounded bored and, as Snow had guessed, unaware of who she was. Snow bit back her bitter disappointment and fixed a small smile on her face as the light at the end of the tunnel flickered and then burned out completely.

"Hi. We need a room for the night."

"Just tonight?" Her eyes flickered briefly over Snow and the girls, lingering on Emma. "Cute baby," She complimented, offering a bright red smile. "What's her name?"

"Thank you. This is Emma." It felt good for her to introduce Emma to someone from the Enchanted Forest, not just someone but _Red_, and she resisted the urge to offer to let Ruby hold her. In another world, Red and Emma would already be well-acquainted and Emma would recognize her by now. The thought made her sad.

"Cute. So, name?" Ruby's eyes were back on Snow now, waiting.

"Sno—I mean, Mary Margaret."

"Last name?"

Snow blinked. She'd never really thought of one. Vicky had never asked for one and at the hospital, Vicky had done everything regarding the paperwork since it had confused Snow to no end and the pain she'd been feeling at the time hadn't helped. It would have to be one that she could remember easily. Something similar to her real one. She thought back to her French lessons from when she was a girl, to how her French tutor had called her Mademoiselle Blanche. "Um…Blanche…Blanchard," She stammered and then gave her a smile, satisfied with her alias. "Mary Margaret Blanchard."

Ruby nodded and typed some things into the computer before handing her a skeleton key the color of tarnished silver. An elaborate keychain hung off of it, almost like a charm, made from the same silver as the key itself. A tiny apple made up the center of the design and the branches of trees, skeleton-like in their appearance, stemmed out from it in all directions. Snow shivered a little as she took it. "Okay, Mary Margaret. Room 103."

Snow nodded and led the sleepy girls down the hall to their room. It was small, but cozy, and reminded her a bit of the Enchanted Forest with its quaint and cottage-like design. In fact, it looked a lot like Granny and Red's home had looked, or the home she had shared with the dwarves. The memories pricked at her brain and formed tears that pricked at her eyes, and she rubbed them quickly away as Katie turned to face her.

Her brown eyes darkened with fatigue and a pout on her lips, she sighed. "We're going to miss the campfire."

"And the s'mores!" Lauren piped her, adding her disappointment to the mix.

Guilt added itself to the long list of emotions that Snow was already experienced and she gave both girls the most apologetic of smiles. She had tried, she had tried so hard to repay the kindness that they had showed her and Emma, but all she had done instead was disappoint them. She didn't know exactly what Girl Scouts was, but she knew that they both enjoyed it and she had been eager to see them engaged with their friends. Instead, all they got was her, a small town, and an even smaller hotel room.

"I am so sorry," She apologized genuinely. "Hopefully the car will be fixed by tomorrow and we can make the rest of the trip. If not…" She was at a loss for words. She could offer to make it up to them by finding something in town for them to do, but she had a feeling that they would be even more disappointed by the selection of things the Storybrooke residents did for fun. Not to mention how quickly she wanted to leave the town. Seeing both the Huntsman and Red was no coincidence, nor was their lack of recognition of her, and she was sure that bumping into Regina wasn't too far behind the longer she stayed.

"Just try to get some sleep." She finished lamely. "It's been a long day."

After sullen nods and a quicker version of their usual bed time routines, the girls climbed into one of the full sized beds, their soft snores quickly filling the room. Snow relaxed and glanced down at Emma who lie in the middle of the bed, tiny limbs flailing happily as she took in her new surroundings. She seemed to be more active here than she'd been at home, but Snow chalked it up to her being more awake and alert after her nap in the car.

She smiled down at Emma, tickling her little tummy. She giggled, flailing her limbs some more and smiling brightly. Already she looked so much like David. Snow leaned down and kissed the top of Emma's head and nearby a clock chimed, calling out the hour.


	13. Chapter 13

**_A/N: So sorry for the month long delay, guys! College is no joke and I've been super busy. _****_Also I've begun the dreaded planning for NaNo. _****_ Hopefully you all can bear with me and this story here for a bit longer. I'll try to update regularly again, but no promises! As always, the OUAT characters do not belong to me. Also, review, please, so I know what to work on or what you guys might want to see from this story. Please and thank you!_**

****Emma was a quiet baby. She rarely cried—the noises that she made were typically giggles and coos, as equally delighted with everyone as they were with her. But the noises she made now weren't giggles. She wailed loudly, red-faced and squirming, her skin on fire when Snow scooped her up to comfort her.

Snow's heartbeat quickened with worry, whatever fatigue she'd been feeling evaporating at the sound of Emma's first cry. Katie and Lauren were up now, watching her and Emma with bleary eyes, but she only had eyes for the feverish infant in her arms, intent on finding some way to help her feel better.

"Emma's sick," She explained, wincing at the anxiety that colored her tone. When she spoke again, she made sure her voice held a calm that she didn't feel. "I need to get her to a doctor."

"Maybe there's a hospital." Lauren murmured sleepily, and Snow nodded. She looked at Lauren, the elder of the two girls. She didn't want to leave them alone in this small, strange hotel in this small town, especially if Regina was nearby. But Regina had no knowledge of the girls and they'd most likely be safer away from she and Emma than with them, at least for a few hours.

"I'm going to take Emma there now. Can you two stay here until we get back?"

She barely stayed to hear Lauren's sleepy reply and to warn her not to open the door for anyone but her before she was out the door with Emma, trying hard to keep her wits about her.

The huntsman, otherwise known as Sheriff Graham, escorted her to the hospital. With Red asleep, Granny had pointed her in his direction, even phoning him for her, and he had arrived quickly. Snow had suffered the short ride anxiously, Emma's wails still playing in her ears. Hours ago she'd been fine—happy and healthy and giggling—and now she was suffering, and Snow along with her.

"She'll be okay," Graham had assured her, noticing her hands clenched around the door handle and shooting a quick glance back at Emma through the rearview mirror. Snow had nodded mechanically, his words lost barely a buzz in the roaring that filled her ears. He parked in front of the tiny hospital meant for Storybrooke residents and led mother and daughter inside.

As she spoke quickly to the nurse at the front desk, he went off in search of Dr. Whale. He found the small blonde man leaving the John Doe's room, face lined with exhaustion. Graham opened his mouth to address the doctor from down the hall when Regina came out of nowhere, blocking the doctor's path. Graham slowed, keeping himself out of sight and his ears open.

"Well? How is he?" Her voice was sharp, strained, and she waited impatiently as Dr. Whale ran a hand tiredly over his face.

"Awake. Confused. Hungry. You name it. He's been in a coma for a long time." As Regina opened her mouth to reply, he spoke quickly over her, ignoring the scowl she shot him. "You can't question him right now, Regina. He's still getting his bearings together."

Graham could see Regina's jaw clench tightly even from the distance. "I am mayor of this town. Do not presume to tell me what I can and cannot do."

Whale's shoulders stiffened slightly and stood up straighter. "Be that as it may, Madame Mayor, this is my hospital and my patient. I won't have a coma patient interrogated as soon as he wakes up. He doesn't even remember who he is, I don't see how questioning him would—"

A change of expression in Regina's face halted his words and he stared at her warily. "What?"

She shook her head, brushing a lock of short black hair behind one ear. "Nothing. I only wanted to know what he remembered, is all, to see if we could begin to find his family. But as he remembers nothing, clearly that's useless." She sounded agreeable again, the venom gone from her voice, and he relaxed.

"Right." He agreed hesitantly.

Regina inclined her head briefly. "Goodnight, Whale."

"Goodnight, Mayor." He said to her back as she retreated down the hall, the stiletto click of her heels echoing down the white hall. Graham waited a few moments until he was sure that he had gone before approaching the doctor. He didn't' know why he was being so cautious—he figured it wouldn't do to upset Regina with another out-of-towner at the hospital, and this one awake and with a sick infant. The mayor didn't take too kindly to people she didn't know, if her conversation with Whale about the John Doe was any indication.

When Graham returned to Snow, Dr. Whale in tow, she was trying to soothe Emma in the waiting room, pacing the length of the small room repeatedly. She looked up when she saw him and rushed over to them, eyes on the doctor. She was too preoccupied with worry to try to decide if she recognized him from the Enchanted Forest or not.

"My…my daughter, she's sick." Snow explained in a rush. "It just came out of nowhere and she's so warm and she won't stop crying…" She felt her eyes sting with tears and she blinked them away quickly, taking a deep breath. "I need your help."

Looking Emma over in a quick, decisive manner that only doctors seem to possess, he nodded and led mother and daughter deeper into the hospital.

Snow paced the length of the hall outside, feeling as useless as she had ever felt. Emma's cries had quieted to mere whimpers but still each whimper tore at her heartstrings. The nurses had made her step outside while they performed tests on Emma. She had refused at first, noting all of the strange machines and devices that filled the room, but looking at Emma's flushed face and wide mouth open in a wail, she had relented. All she could do now was pace and wait and grow more and more anxious.

She had neared the end of the hall when she heard a door open. Her gaze flickered in that direction briefly, unconcerned, before she continued forward. Only on her trip back down the hall did she notice the tall figure that had come from the room and now stood at the end of the hall, resting against the wall. Even pale with closed eyes and clad in a hospital gown, she would have recognized him anywhere. Her mind and her body reacted simultaneously, so quickly that she froze in the middle of the hall, paralyzed with confusion and joy and other emotions that she couldn't put a name to. Her voice and her body shook as she slowly took a step in his direction.

"…Charming?"

His eyes flickered open, bright and warm as always, even filled now as they were with confusion. He looked at her blankly. "Who are you?"


End file.
